Tech firm fined ₹1 lakh for levelling allegations against TN govt official

THE Madras High Court has imposed a cost of ₹1 lakh on Cognizant Technology Solutions Private Limited for levelling unsubstantiated "serious allegations" against a top labour department official, a quasi-judicial officer, in connection with an order passed to set aside the termination of an employee of the firm.

- R SIVAKUMAR @Chennai

Justice AD Maria Clete passed the orders while dismissing the petitions filed by the subsidiary of the US-based tech firm challenging the order of the special joint commissioner of labour (JCL), who is the appellate authority.

The JCL, by an order dated October 18, 2019, set aside the order of the firm issued on December 21, 2015 to terminate Sivakumar Krishnamurthy, an associate director of the company, from the service on the grounds of under-performance and causing loss to the firm. The JCL also ordered his reinstatement with back wages on an appeal filed by him under the TN Shops and Establishments Act, 1947.